Great news: Obama shot a skeet once, or something

posted at 2:31 pm on February 2, 2013 by Ed Morrissey

Barack Obama recently told the New Republic that he understands the concerns of gun owners, because “in fact, up at Camp David, we do skeet shooting all the time.” As critics chortled over both the notion that skeet shooting is what concerns gun owners and the idea that Obama shoots clay pigeons “all the time,” the White House has finally released a photo to back up its claim … and only one photo, dated August 12, 2012:

That led to a barrage of questions from journalists about whether the White House could offer proof that the president had gone shooting. It also led a Republican congresswoman to issue a challenge for a shoot-off. The White House has not responded to the challenge, but it has now uploaded this image[.]

And here it is:

Fox News reported earlier this week that there’s not likely to be more photos:

News of President Obama’s apparently long-secret fondness for skeet shooting came as a surprise to those who say they have witnessed the president’s “awkward” attempts at pinging the (clay) pigeons.

This has only happened with the president at Camp David, at most, a couple of times, according to a source who says he has been to the retreat on a half-dozen visits with Obama.

“The only time he shot skeet was for President’s Cup,” said the source, referring to a shooting competition tradition involving the presidential Marine guards. “I was there. He stayed for about five minutes, and couldn’t leave fast enough.”

Skeet shooting “is very hard,” said the source. “Especially for someone not used to guns … He couldn’t have been more uncomfortable.”

The source said a friend of his recalled Obama skeet shooting one other time at Camp David — very early on in his first term.

That didn’t stop Obama’s advisers from bragging about the photo this morning, though, and sneering at “skeeters” (via Twitchy and Weekly Standard):

For all the “skeeters”: POTUS shoots clay targets on the range at Camp David on Aug. 4, 2012. bit.ly/WlDMYG

I’ve done plenty of target shooting, but I’ve never gone skeet shooting. Nor is that the reason why most gun owners want their rights respected. The publication of the photo, and especially the defensive attitude of Obama’s advisers, speaks volumes about their insecurity on the gun-rights issue.

But this certainly makes for a great weekend Caption Contest. Have at it in the comments!